Fusarium graminearum and deoxynivalenol contamination in the durum wheat area of Argentina

Abstract

Fusarium graminearum head blight of wheat is a destructive disease of the world's wheat-growing areas. This work was performed to analyze the distribution and contamination of deoxynivalenol (DON) and its relationship with F. graminearum kernel invasion in Argentina durum wheat area during two consecutive harvests. A total of 147 samples (cultivars and lines) of durum wheat from 5 locations of the major cropping area (Southern Buenos Aires Province) were analyzed. Percentage of F. graminearum kernel infection was evaluated following the blotter test (ISTA method) and fusarotoxins were analyzed by thin layer chromatography. None of the varieties and lines were free of F. graminearum infection. In the first harvest fungal invasion was very low. From 40 samples, 55% showed DON contamination but only 4 samples (10%) were higher than 2 ppm. In the second harvest, a crop year conducive to scab development, the highest level of F. graminearum kernel invasion observed was 42% on a sample from the humid area (eastern Buenos Aires Province) DON was detected in 47 (78.2%) of 60 samples analyzed and 19 (31.6%) showed levels of DON higher than those established in the guidelines in Canada and USA for food and feedstuff. In both years all locations situated in the humid area showed levels ranging from 0 to > 8 ppm. Within the durum wheat area differences among locations were found. This analysis indicates the need for more information on the problem and distribution of Fusarium mycotoxins in durum wheat grown in Argentina.

Correlation betweenFusarium graminearumand deoxynivalenol during the 2012/13 wheat Fusarium head blight outbreak in Argentina

“…Most of the samples analyzed were above the maximum DON limit proposed by the EC (2007) and FAO (2004). The DON levels detected in the 2012/13 FHB epidemic year are similar to those detected in previous epidemic years in Argentina (Lori et al 2003). DON has been reported as the main Fusarium mycotoxin in wheat and by-products in South America; with Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay the countries with available information (Del Ponte et al 2012;Umpiérrez et al 2013).…”

“…The 2012 FHB epidemic affecting Argentina was also reported in Uruguay (Umpiérrez et al 2013). In a previous study, Lori et al (2003) reported similar levels of F. graminearum infection (up to 52.3%) during a favorable year for FHB, although strains were isolated from durum wheat in Argentina.…”

“…DON has been reported as the main Fusarium mycotoxin in wheat and by-products in South America; with Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay the countries with available information (Del Ponte et al 2012;Umpiérrez et al 2013). Lori et al (2003) analyzed the presence of F. graminearum and DON content in different durum wheat varieties from 5 localities in the southern wheat cropping area from Argentina during two years. They observed both DON incidence and levels similar to the Grain contamination was so high that the country had to import wheat grains to fulfill the internal demand (Umpiérrez et al 2013).…”

“…A survey of several wheat samples obtained from Santa Fe and Buenos Aires provinces (central wheat growing region from Argentina) during 1986 and 1992 period, showed DON levels between 0.05 and 2.4 ppm (Quiroga et al 1995). During the 1993 FHB outbreak, Dalcero et al (1997) reported DON levels up to 4.5 ppm and in the 2001 epidemic, Lori et al (2003) observed up to 8 ppm in wheat grain samples. During the 2012/13 wheat growing season, a severe epidemic outbreak occurred in the main wheat growing area of Argentina (Palazzini et al 2013).…”

Occurrence of toxigenic Aspergillus flavus in commercial Bulgur wheat

“…The evaluation of the incidence of mycotoxigenic mold in food is important because of the strong correlation between mold presence and mycotoxin occurrence (González et al, 1998;Lori et al, 2003;Passone et al, 2010). The information resulting from these tests can indicate the hazard analysis critical control point inside the food producer chain (Food and Agriculture Drganization of the United Nations, 2001) and allows decision-making measures about the storage time of the analyzed product and the need for specific mycotoxin analysis.…”